Tyra Heads Back to Work

Back to school time is almost here but for the contestants on Season 19 of “America’s Next Top Model,” it’s time to hit the looks. This is the first time in the show’s history that the contestants will be drawn from college students. Banks and “Sh-t Fashion Girls Say” You Tube sensation P’Trique winnowed down ideas for cycle 19 and came up with the idea to head to college to look for models. Banks and her crew went around the country to college campuses both big and small, public and private, to search for the 30 contestants. They found contestants everywhere from Harvard Divinity School to Aveda beauty school, which if you think about it, makes perfect sense.

Changes are afoot in voting and on the judge’s panel, too. For the first time in the show’s history, fans get to vote and comment via video, so they become part of the judging. Among the new judges is Katy Perry’s stylist Johnny Wujek, gorgeous British model Rob Evans and fashion blogger Bryanboy. Kelly Cutrone is back but the show will move on without J. Alexander, Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker. Alicia Keys and Tyler Perry will be guest judges this cycle as well. And of course, Banks will be back, although she said earlier this year that she’d considered quitting.

“I've thought about turning the reins over,” Banks told the New York Post. "I had to be reminded that [the show] is my baby. A few years ago, I was willing to give my baby up for adoption!"

“America’s Next Top Model” heads back to the CW on Friday, August 24 at 8 p.m.